The Dark Witch
by ArchAngelic the Reborn
Summary: Darkness is closer than it has ever been as a new Source begins to execute a plan bolder than any before. The Elders are his target, and the Charmed Ones are the only ones who can stop him. Will he succeed?
1. A new Source?

**The Dark Witch**

**by Arcangelic**

Disclaimer: No, I do not own Charmed. But everything in this story you do not recognize from the Charmed Series is mine, so please do not use any of it. At least not without permission.

This is the sequel to THE WRATH OF HELIOPOLIS.

**Chapter One – A New Source?**

Piper jumped behind the couch for cover, and expected the demon's fireball to blast it away. Suddenly she heard Phoebe call out to the demon and soon she heard the demon be vanquished, probably by his own fireball.

"Piper, are you alright?" Piper got up and looked at her sister. "O yeah, I'm fine. I just want to know what the hell took you so long," Piper bit out, a little cranky about being cornered by a demon.

"I was busy making sure Chris was safely inside Wyatt's bubble before leaving them upstairs," Phoebe retorted, also quite irritated. Piper sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so bitchy. I'm just tired of being attacked every other day."

Phoebe nodded. "I know what you mean. I'm just wondering why they're attacking us so much lately. After all the demons we've vanquished, you'd think they'd reconsider attacking us. It's almost as if they're suicidal or something."

Suddenly Paige orbed in. "Are you guys okay?" Piper and Phoebe both nodded, and Paige sighed. "Did this one say why he attacked?" Piper shook her head. "He just hurled a fireball at me, which I barely managed to freeze."

Paige shook her head and wanted to say something, but Piper cut her off. "It gets worse. I tried to make him explode, but I couldn't. That's when I called for Phoebe and ducked behind the couch." Paige stared at her sisters.

"He was upper level? Then how did you guys vanquish him?" Piper pointed at Phoebe, and Paige understood. "Way to go, Pheebs. I would've been here sooner, but my boss was standing right in front of me. I'd better go, or she'll wonder what the hell is taking me so long in the bathroom. See you guys later."

Paige orbed out, and Piper assessed the damage the demon had done. Phoebe however stood stock still, as if she was considering something. Suddenly she called out to Leo, and within seconds the Elder appeared.

"What happened?" Piper shook her head as her husband hugged and kissed her. "Another demon attacked. This one was upper level," Phoebe answered. Leo gasped. "An upper level demon attacked? Why would an upper level demon attacked you guys?"

"Well, they attacked us for three reasons in the past. Either they wanted to become the Source, or they wanted to impress the Source, or the Source ordered them to. You see where I'm going here?"

Leo gasped again. "What do you want me to do?" Phoebe hesitated. "Could you go down to the Underworld and check things out?" Piper jumped. "There's no way you're going down there, Leo!"

Leo caressed Piper's cheek. "I have to. If there is a new Source, it will be only a matter of time before he comes after you. Or worse, he could go after Wyatt. I have to go."

Piper hesitated, but nodded. "Just come back safe, okay?" Leo nodded before orbing out. Piper turned around and looked at Phoebe. "So, you think there's a new Source?"

Phoebe nodded. "I think that if there isn't one yet, there will be one soon. And then we'll be in big trouble."

* * *

Alanqe walked into the throne room. "Master, we have detected a strange presence." The silhouette behind the curtain that hung in the cave, which served as the throne room, moved.

Alanqe focussed on the silhouette, which was still again. "It's the Elder. I see the Charmed Ones are smarter than I thought." The silhouette moved again and Alanqe turned his face away.

"What do you order us to do, Master?" Alanqe bent his head and closed his eyes when he heard the curtain be pulled aside. He sensed his Master's sheer power next to him.

"Don't do anything yet. The Charmed Ones want to play? Fine, I'll play with them. I'll just put my plan into action a little sooner than I originally planned. Alanqe, summon the Council of High Priests."


	2. Motion

**Sorry it took me so long to update. My computer is busted, so I'm dependant on seconds behind the computer at school to write. That and the fact that I completely changed my storyline are responsible for the delay in update.**

**Thanks a lot to andy20 and Alyssa Halliwell for reviewing.**

**Chapter Two – Motion**

Piper got up from her bed and walked downstairs. There she found Phoebe feeding Chris, while Wyatt sat next to her and watched television. Suddenly the thought came to Piper that her sister and sons could have easily been attacked while she had been sleeping.

"Don't you dare feel guilty about taking that nap, Piper!" Phoebe hadn't turned her head or given any indication she knew Piper was standing there, so the sentence she spoke made Piper jump.

"You knew I was standing here?" Phoebe nodded. "Of course I knew. You didn't exactly sneak down the stairs, now did you? Besides, I felt a presence behind me with my empathy."

Now that was intriguing. "You what? But I took that potion that Chris bought us to block your empathy!" Finally Phoebe turned to Piper. "I know you did. And I don't know why I'm starting to sense your emotions again, but I even felt that tiny pang of guilt when you saw me and the boys."

"Maybe the potion was only temporary," Piper suggested and Phoebe was just about answer her when she dropped Chris' bottle and remained motionless, like a statue. Piper recognized a premonition when she saw one.

She started walking towards her sister when Phoebe came out of it. "He's on the stairs, Piper!" Piper turned around and immediately flung her hands forward; trying to blow up which ever demon Phoebe had foreseen attacking them.

She only saw a screen of green light that shivered when her powers connected with it, and Phoebe grabbing hold of Wyatt and Chris to drag the two into safety, before she was flung backwards when the energy of her own powers was directed back at her by the green deflecting shield.

Phoebe, who barely managed to run into the solarium without getting knocked over by the suddenly airborne Piper, put both boys in the playpen before turning around to head back to the living room.

The tall, dark and handsome man Phoebe had seen in her premonition was standing right behind her. "Danger, Wyatt!" She had barely spoken the words when the man flung out his hand and telekinetically threw her across the room.

Wyatt, hearing his aunt's words, erected his force field bubble immediately. The demon, who just then was reaching to grab Wyatt, was flung backwards into the wall and grabbed his hand, which was covered in severe burns.

Phoebe, who had seen the entire thing happen, extended her own hands and two jolts of electricity shot towards the demon and he exploded. Phoebe ran back to the boys, to check if everything was alright.

When she was convinced everything was fine with them she ran into the living to check on Piper. She dropped to her knees when she reached her oldest sister, who had a gaping hole in her stomach.

"I need help!" She had screamed this upwards, to Sanctuary, knowing that in the Underworld Leo could not hear her calling. Suddenly a swirl of bright blue orbs appeared and Phoebe's unleashed the breath she didn't even know she was holding.

Her heart, which had been pounding in her throat, fell back down into a bottomless pit when the orbs turned into Paige. Paige, seeing her sister lying there, fell on her knees next Piper too while Phoebe got up and screamed at the Elders to help them.

Paige ran a hand through Piper's hair when she realized that if they wanted any chance of saving their sister, she had to keep Piper from bleeding to death. She put a hand on the bleeding wound, to keep the pressure on it, when suddenly her hands began to emit a yellow light.

"Phoebe!" Phoebe turned around and saw her sister, who for some reason was now capable of using the power to heal all whitelighters have. She kneeled down again and motioned for Paige to try and heal Piper.

Paige held both her hands above Piper's wound and after a few seconds it began to heal. The blood drew back, the flesh grew back and the skin stretched to cover it all and soon it was as if nothing had happened. Only Piper's bloody shirt bore the evidence that she had almost died.

Piper opened her eyes and looked at her crying sisters confusedly. "What's up, guys?" Paige looked at Phoebe, not knowing what had happened either. "We were attacked, remember? I told you to blow him up, but he used some kind of deflecting shield and bounced your powers back at you."

Suddenly Piper as wide awake. "The boys?" Phoebe smiled. "They're fine, thanks to Wyatt's vicious protective bubble. It flung the demon backward when he tried to grab them and burned his hand."

Suddenly Piper noticed a smear of blood next Phoebe's ear. "You're hurt!" Phoebe touched the side of her face which she had fallen on. "It's nothing, just what you get for trying to play catch with a telekinetic demon. Well, if you're the ball any way."

"Where's the demon now?" Phoebe looked up from Piper to Paige. "I vanquished him with my future power," she said, but there was something in the way that she said it that told Piper and Paige that it didn't sit right with her.

"Any word from Leo?" Phoebe shook her head and got up. Paige followed her example and they helped Piper get up as well. "The boys are in the playpen. I need to check out something, okay?"

Confused, Piper and Paige nodded and Phoebe went upstairs. "What's wrong with her?" Piper shrugged while she and Paige walked into the solarium. "What I'm wondering is how I got better. Who healed me?"

"I did," Paige said hesitantly. Immediately Piper hurled around. "What?" Paige nodded. "I healed you. Don't ask me how, but I did. Maybe the Elders couldn't spare someone to come down so they used me as a conduit to heal you."

"I don't think the Elders have anything to do with this," Phoebe said, standing in the doorway with the Book of Shadows in her hands. "The demon that attacked us? I thought it was strange that he had a human form, so I looked him up. He was upper-level."

"That's the second one today you vanquish," Piper said. "I know, but I've never vanquished an upper-level demon with my own powers before. None of us have. We always used a potion with his or her flesh, or I would channel his own powers back at him. But I vanquished this guy with my own power."

"What are you getting at, Phoebe?" Phoebe sighed. "Don't you get it? Vanquishing upper-level demons on my own, feeling your emotions despite the potion you took, Paige healing you out of the blue? I think we've had some huge advancement in power, and that's why I think the Elders have nothing to do with this. I think something's going on, something big…Something huge!"

"You're partly right. It's not the Elders who gave you this advancement in power, but we do have everything to do with it," a familiar voice sounded behind Phoebe, and she swirled around. There, with his robes dirty and a cut on his arm, stood the Elder Appylus.

**T.B.C.**


	3. A new Job?

**Chapter Three – A new job?**

Phoebe ran to Appylus, who was barely capable of standing upright on his own. She helped him lay down on the couch, and motioned for Paige to try and heal the wounded Elder.

Piper, however, focused on getting the information they needed from the Elder, more than a little worried about her husband. "What's going on? What happened to you?"

Appylus closed his eyes while Paige was healing him, and kept them closed while he spoke. "Some time ago, we felt a power shift in the Underworld. We didn't worry too much, since there can't be a new Source without the Grimoire. But somehow, the new power that had arrived in the Underworld has managed to force the Council of High Priests into obedience."

"The Council of High Priests?" Piper and Paige had never had any dealings with them, but Phoebe had. "The Council of High Priests is the evil equivalent of the Council of Elders. They sort of rule the Underworld in the absence of a Source, but there's so much dissension in the ranks that the Underworld is chaos without a Source. Usually one of them becomes the New Source."

"And you know this how?" Phoebe looked away, trying to force away her nasty memories. "I was Queen of Evil, remember? I had dealings with them every day. Well, I vanquished one of them every day any way."

"But if there's so much dissension, then how did they ever get around to choosing a new Source. I mean, if they obey him then he is the Source, even if he hasn't been crowned yet. Or ever will."

"He has lured them with the promise of more power. And I fear that the only powers the Council of High Priests wants are the powers of the Council of Elders. That's what happened to me, and to virtually every other Elder in the Council."

"What happened?" Appylus opened his eyes and looked directly at Piper. "It was a carefully planned operation. They used magic to summon us, tare us right out of Sanctuary and into the Underworld. They tried to use an athame to drain me of my powers. I barely managed to get away, but I fear the other Elders weren't so lucky."

"You mean the Council of Elders is…dead?" Appylus closed his eyes and nodded. "I'm the last one still alive, and I'm afraid that they will stop at nothing to get my powers as well. If they don't, their plan won't succeed."

Before Phoebe could ask what plan, a demon dressed like a monk materialized next to the old clock. Phoebe stretched her hand and unleashed a long, powerful jolt of electricity like only the Elders could.

But the demon, which Phoebe recognized as a member of the Council of High Priests, stretched out his own hand and deflected her powers. As the jolt sped towards Paige, she orbed out, leaving Piper as the jolt's next target.

Piper threw her hands into the air, wanting to freeze the jolt, but before she had activated her powers the jolt sped back towards the demon. Paige orbed back into the manor, just before the demon seemed to deflect the jolt again and it sped towards Phoebe. But to Piper's big surprise Phoebe seemed to absorb the jolt into the hand she had fired it from and the demon disappeared once again.

"What just happened?" Phoebe, Paige and Appylus all looked at Piper. Suddenly a thought came to Piper and she aimed her exploding power at the place where the demon had appeared just as the same demon reappeared and was blown to bits.

"Now that was weird," Piper said, before passing out.

* * *

She feeling like every ounce of her energy had been drained, Piper somehow managed to summon enough strength to open her eyes. She was lying down on her bed, and Phoebe was playing with Chris and Wyatt in a chair near her bed.

"What happened?" Her voice was a mere whisper, but Phoebe still heard her. "Don't you remember?" Piper's head was pounding, but she still tried to remember what had happened.

"Appylus…I remember Appylus…telling us about some plot this new Source has…and then this demon attacked." Piper cringed as the pain in her head seemed to increase in strength exponentially, and Phoebe called for Paige.

"I sensed the demon before he even materialized, so I tried to vanquish him with my future power. He deflected that towards Paige, but she orbed out and then you…" IN that instant, Piper remembered it all to great detail.

"I turned back time. I turned back time, and we retained our memories of the event. But how did I do that?" Suddenly the door to Piper's bedroom opened and Paige walked in, followed by Appylus.

"Well, Appylus was just about to explain that to us. Weren't you, Appylus?" The Elder nodded as Phoebe and Paige helped Piper sit up. "The Elders, as you know, did not always walk the Earth. In the time of darkness before we came, many great powers walk the Earth. Amongst them some you have battled, like the Titans and the Egyptian Gods, and others long ago vanquished."

Appylus inhaled deeply before continuing. "Of those great powers, four were witches; the Elementani. These four were not ordinary, modern-day witches. How do I describe them? Remember the power of the Titans and the Egyptians, and try to imagine them fearing these witches like demons today fear the Charmed Ones."

He looked around to see if he had made clear how powerful the witches he spoke about were. And he had, judging by the look on the Charmed Ones' faces. Aside from Piper, that is, who had a look of absolute exhaustion on her face. He decided to continue.

"The reason they were so powerful, is that each of them was the embodiment of one of the elements. Earth, Fire, Air and Water personified. But they were different to their contemporaries in another way. They were the first beings of Good as we know it, and it was their wish to create a world in which innocents could prosper. But more than anything, they didn't want to die and leave their children in a world in which their power was coveted by all."

What he was to tell them next, Appylus himself couldn't believe. Though he was one of the eldest of the Council of Elders, he had not even been alive at the time of the event he was about to tell them about. He had been borne 1500 years ago, the event had occurred more than a thousand years before.

"They gathered on the most sacred day of the year, after having left their children with people they could trust. Together, they summoned all their power and called out to the fifth element, Spirit. And it responded, though at a high price. The cosmos seeks balance, it always has. To call forth Spirit they had to sacrifice not only their own powers but their children's as well. But as the mighty spirit descended upon them, they were transformed. They became the very first Elders, and made it possible for the world to be as it is today."

Paige, Phoebe and Piper were all taken back by what Appylus had told them. "There's one thing I don't understand. What about the Source?" Appylus looked at Paige. "In a way, the Source of Evil is also one of the cosmos' ways of seeking balance. For every good thing you receive, you get something bad with it. By creating Good, they also created Evil. That's the way it is, the way it has always been."

"Okay…but does this has to do with what is happening now?" Appylus sighed at Paige's question, but Phoebe answered before he could. "Don't you see? Everything is clear to me now. The lines of the Elementani, they're still intact right? By vanquishing the Elders, the embodiments of Spirit in this plain, the balance will shift again. The powers of the Elementani will return to this plain, to the descendants of the Elementani. That's what the new Source wants. He doesn't care about the power of the Council of Elders; he wants the powers of the Elementani!"

Now Piper was confused. "But if the Council of High Priests have taken the powers of the Elders, doesn't that mean the fifth element is still on this plain?" Appylus was about to answer when once again Phoebe beat him to the punch.

"No, it doesn't. Remember when the demon of vanity took our powers? He tried to freeze us, but he failed. Just because we lost our powers, didn't mean we stopped being witches. It's the same with Elders. They're the embodiment of Spirit, stripped of their powers or not. But what does all of this have to do with our freakish advancement in power?"

This time Paige was the one to answer. "Balance…it's all about balance. The Council of High Priests has gained a lot of power today, right? The universe must be trying to balance it out by increasing our powers as well. I bet the powers of all good witches have increased today."

Appylus cut in. "It's not that simple. Not only has the Council of Elders gained a lot of power today, but Good has also lost a lot of it. The universe is trying to balance it out, but not the way you think."

He suddenly had all of the Charmed Ones' attention, but he didn't even notice as he closed his eyes. "Yes, of course," he said and he looked directly at the Charmed Ones.

"Your powers are the only ones that have been increased. I believe you're supposed to take over the responsibilities of the Council of Elders. In our absence, you girls are the greatest power of Good. And now, the universe itself has given you this task."

Piper was a little slow. "What are you talking about?" Appylus looked at the girls intensely. "Isn't it obvious? You are the new Elders."

**T.B.C.**

**I apologize once again for the delay in update…I usually update pretty fast, but this is kind of hard to do without my own computer. I promise to do my best to get the next chapter up next week.**

**Please review both chapters I've updated…….**


	4. Isn't he an Elder?

**Chapter Four – Isn't he an Elder?**

Deafening silence reigned in Piper's room. "No! No way, absolutely not!" Piper was the first to break it. She suddenly seemed very vigorous when she jumped out of bed, only to take a nose dive to the ground.

Fortunately, Appylus caught her. "I'm afraid so, Piper. You have to face it. As much as you dislike Elders, you are now one. One of three, the only three. You three have to take over!"

Piper seemed to still want to protest, despite of her lack of energy. "Why do you think you feel so drained, Piper? You did an extremely difficult thing, which took a lot of energy. Even the most powerful of Elders have never been able to turn back time like you just have, Piper!"

On the one hand, Appylus understood the eldest Charmed One's almost downright hatred. The Council had treated both her and Leo very unfairly, even Appylus had opposed against some of the policies of the Council considering the Charmed Ones and Leo.

But he couldn't understand why she opposed her own advancement so much. Very few souls had ever experienced an event such as this, and though the circumstances were grim, Appylus was sure he wouldn't have had to even think about it.

He hadn't when he was in almost the same position 1500 years ago. When he had been offered the opportunity, he had grabbed it immediately and had opted to become an Elder.

But what Appylus didn't understand, Phoebe did. She wasn't too keen on the idea that the future of all which is Good in the world rested in their hands either, and she understood why Piper shied away from the huge responsibility.

But she knew herself, and she knew her sister. If this had to be done, she knew she had no choice but to do it and that she would. And she knew Piper would too. She walked up to her older sister and smiled at her, though she felt the smile didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Look, honey, I know what's bothering you. I don't like it either, but you know we have too," she said softly, and Piper nodded. "Look at it this way: at least we won't have to follow some lame old cockamamie rules anymore," she joked, and drew a tiny smile from Piper.

"Okay, now that we have that settled…We have to think up a plan of action," Appylus said, suddenly sounding like a general. Phoebe put Piper back in bed and turned around to face Paige and Appylus.

"So I'm guessing that we all have different areas of expertise. Let's see, Piper has always been the muscle and the voice of reason. I think she has more of a supervising role in this," she said pensively.

Paige looked at her sister in amazement, finding she agreed with Phoebe. "I think I'm supposed to be more of an Oracle kind of person. I see the past and the future, and I seem to suddenly 'know' a lot," Phoebe continued while Appylus wondered at the speed with which the Charmed One was learning.

"So that leaves Paige to guide and protect witches all over the world. Which makes sense, since she is part whitelighter." That was a little too much for Paige. "What? I'm supposed to guide and protect all the witches in the world all by myself?"

Phoebe smiled tiredly. "No, you're supposed to lead the whitelighters to guide and protect the witches for you. Speaking of, I think one of us should go up there and calm them down. They must be worried by now."

"Can't we just jingle and let them all come here?" Piper suddenly spoke up. "No, we can't have that much good in the house. It would be too easy for any demon or darklighter to attack and wipe out half of them."

Appylus all but glowed with pride at the way the girls were reasoning. "Piper's right, we can't summon them here. This is what we do," Phoebe said. "You go up there and summon all the whitelighters. Explain to them what's going on. I'm going to magic school, to take care of a few things there."

"Why magic school?" Phoebe, who had been holding Chris the whole time, walked over to the chair she was sitting in and took Wyatt's hand. "Because I need to look up a few things about the lines of the Elementani and the boys need to be somewhere safe. Besides, I think my powers give me a natural inclination to teach. Come on, Wyatt, orb auntie to magic school."

And like that, Phoebe orbed out. Paige shrugged, and did the same.

* * *

Phoebe had just explained what was going on to the teaching staff at magic school and had left the boys with Mrs. Willis, who ran the day-care department. Phoebe sighed as she walked into what was once Gideon's office.

She wondered if the Elder had any books on the lines of the Elementani. That was what she had come here to look for, since she herself knew only what Appylus had told her and her sisters.

Phoebe sat down behind Gideon's desk, as she started to remember all that the rogue Elder had tried in order to kill Wyatt. Phoebe shivered as she felt that traces of Gideon's magic still hung in the room, even this long after he had been vanquished.

Hastily, Phoebe got up and started looking through Gideon's books. For some reason, Phoebe guessed it was due to her advancement in power, she found a book pretty soon.

She exited Gideon's office and sat down in one of the unoccupied classrooms. She started reading the book, which told the story of the Summoning of Spirit. After having read several pages of the book, Phoebe stopped.

All she had read so far was stuff Appylus had already told her, and she wasn't getting anywhere. Suddenly she got an idea, and put the book down on the table. She held her hands above it, palms down, and focused.

The pages of the book rapidly started turning all by themselves, and when all the pages had turned Phoebe could remember every single word and every single phrase. Including the part where it was said that every single Elder had to be vanquished for the powers of the Elementani to return to their kin again.

Phoebe started, realizing that she had left Appylus alone with the weakened Piper. Before Phoebe herself realized what was going on, she disappeared in a flash of light.

She reappeared at the manor, expecting the worst. All was quiet, and she ran upstairs to Piper's room. She burst in, and found her sister and the last remaining Elder sitting there.

Piper recognized the look on Phoebe's face. "What's wrong?" Phoebe sighed as she sat down. "I just read in a book that all the Elders have to be vanquished for the powers of the Elementani to return to their offspring. I was afraid the Council of High Priests had taken advantage of the fact that you two were alone to attack and kill Appylus."

Suddenly Piper's face fell. "All the Elders have to be vanquished?" It was then that it struck Phoebe. Appylus wasn't the last of the Elders, but he was the only one that was safe. There was another Elder out there, **down there**, in the lion's den. Piper's husband, Leo.

**T.B.C.**

**Author's Note: Sorry it took me so long to update. I've just been really busy….**


	5. Sacrifice

**Chapter Five – Sacrifice**

_Leo stood against the wall of the cave, invisible, but she knew he was there. She could see the Elder's face, which had worry and sadness written all over it. He knew about what had happened to the other Elders, she realized._

_Suddenly, three characters in cloaks entered the cave. She knew who they were too. Leo tensed, she saw it, but nothing could give away the Elder's whereabouts to the High Priests. That's why she didn't understand why she was so worried._

_The High Priests were whispering to each other, but their demeanour was casual. Too casual. She only realized what they were doing until it was too late and they had Leo cornered._

_All three of them shot powerful purple bolts of lighting at Leo, who couldn't dodge because of the short distance, was subdued._

Phoebe gasped at the intensity her premonitions now had. She realized Piper and Paige were looking at her and she quickly looked up. "What did you see?" Phoebe thought about lying, so Piper wouldn't freak out, but she couldn't. She told them the truth.

Piper jumped out of bed again, and she wavered again, but this time she remained on her feet. "What are you doing?" Piper looked at Paige determinedly. "I'm going to save my husband!"

Paige was about to protest when Appylus beat her to the punch. "If they have Leo, then they already have taken his powers. I'm sorry to say this, since Leo was my friend as well, but he is dead."

Piper's head snapped towards Appylus, an angry look on her face, and the Elder flew into the wall. "More new powers…good! The better my chances will be to save Leo," Piper said with conviction.

"Piper, I'd like to think that Leo's alive too. But the odds are against us and if you go down there chances are you'll be captured. The three of you need to work together to stop the Source," Appylus pleaded.

"Leo isn't dead," Phoebe stated and all eyes shot towards her. "If he was dead, Piper would've felt it. Their connection is too deep for her not to have felt it. Besides, I wouldn't have had the premonition if we couldn't save him."

"So, what's the plan?" Appylus looked at Paige, who had asked the question, and there was disappointment in his eyes. Phoebe got up from and walked around, and everybody looked at her, clearly expecting her to come up with the plan.

"Appylus is right, we need to stay together if we want to have a shot against the Source. So I say we set up a force field around the house to prevent the High Priests from coming after Appylus, and then we go down there."

"NO! You can't win if go up against them on their turf, the world would be lost," Appylus screamed, but the sisters all had the same look of conviction on their faces now. Phoebe walked out of the room, and Piper and Paige followed.

Appylus followed them to the attic, where Phoebe had the Book of Shadows in her hands and Piper and Paige were placing crystals. Phoebe beckoned Appylus, and he walked towards her.

"If the Priests manage to take down the force field and move the crystals, the orb to magic school and take the Book with you. We don't want them getting a hold of either you or it," she said, her voice both worried and friendly and Appylus remembered a vision he had had once about her.

A vision in which she played a key role in the battle between Good and Evil, and he wondered if the future he had seen in that vision would ever come to be. "Be careful down there," he whispered and she smiled warmly at him.

She handed him the Book before walking out of the attic and placing the final crystal near the door. "We'll be back soon," she said before her eyes started glowing like Piper's and Paige's.

As Paige orbed out, Piper dematerialized and Phoebe disappeared in a flash of light. Appylus felt the force field erect around the house and sighed. The future of the Earth now hung by a thread.

* * *

"So, what now?" Phoebe looked around thoughtfully. "Can you try and locate him? You're part white lighter, so you should be able to sense him the same way he used to sense us," she told Paige, and the youngest Charmed One turned Elder closed her eyes and focused.

Piper held her breath, realizing that finding her husband depended on Paige being able to fully concentrate. Suddenly, Paige opened her eyes and looked at Phoebe. "That way," she said determinedly and pointed to the corridor behind Phoebe.

Phoebe turned around and seemed to focus on the direction Paige pointed in. "You're right, I sense Evil that way. I doubt they would've left Leo unguarded," she said, and immediately Piper set out. Phoebe followed close behind and Paige was the last to move.

They walked through the corridor, which got darker and darker as they went further from the torch-lit cavern in which they had entered the underworld, until they saw a light at the far end.

"There," Paige pointed. "Leo is in that cave, I feel it too," Piper nodded and they stopped walking. "Okay, here's the plan. I walk in there and draw the guards' attention. Then you guys orb in, and Piper helps me fight them while Paige frees Leo. Got it?"

Piper and Paige nodded, and Phoebe walked towards the cave. Piper and Paige stood by, ready to execute Phoebe's plan as soon as she entered the cave.

* * *

Appylus took a good look at the Book he held in his hands. The Book of Shadows, which held both the history and the present of the Warren-line in it. "You've seen a lot, haven't you? Centuries of both Good and Evil, hundreds or even thousands of witches and warlocks and demons," he said to it.

Suddenly, the Triquetra started glowing and in it Appylus could see Phoebe entering a cave in the underworld. She was barely into the cave, when she was blasted by the entire Council of High Priests and was thrown into the wall. Appylus watched in horror as she laid there, blood oozing out of her mouth, nose and ears.

"You're right. You have their history, but she has their future. And the rest of the world's as well," Appylus said as the image disappeared. The Triquetra's light deactivated the crystals and Appylus felt the force field fall as well.

He understood what the Triquetra was trying to tell him and he wasted no time in orbing out.

* * *

A feeling crept up on Phoebe, and she feared the worst as she stepped into the cave. Her instincts were proven right as the Council of High Priests stood before her, expecting her.

Just as they all unleashed powerful purple bolts of lightning at her, Appylus orbed in front of her. He held out the Book of Shadows and Phoebe took it. Appylus' eyes were glowing, as was the Triquetra, and Phoebe was hit with a premonition she realized Appylus was sharing with her.

As it ended, Appylus was hit by the blasts of the Council of High Priests. "Thus ends the gift of Spirit," he whispered with his dying breath.

Phoebe nodded and the Elder smiled before his body started emitting a bright white light. A powerful explosion rocked the cave as the light emitted by Appylus' dematerializing body vanquished the Council of High Priests.

As the smoke cleared up, Phoebe saw that Appylus' body was completely gone. In the back of the cave she saw Leo, locked in a cage, and she started walking towards him.

She had taken only one step when Piper materialized, ready to blast any guards, and Paige orbed in near Leo's cage. Both sisters looked at Phoebe with a questioning look on their faces.

"We have a problem, guys," Phoebe sighed.

**T.B.C.**

**Author's Note: I'm really, totally, absolutely sorry I took this long to update. I just had a really hard time with this chapter, so much so I had to rewrite it seven times to make of it what it is now. I hope you guys like it.**

**Please review….**


	6. One down

**Chapter Six – One down**

Florentina Grimaldi sighed as she looked around the hotel room, and sat down on the bed. She had no idea what had pushed her to suddenly buy a ticket to San Francisco, and she certainly didn't know what to do now that she was there but sit there and yell at herself for spending her hard-earned cash in such a manner.

Though, if she really thought about it, it was the feeling that something important awaited her here that had driven her to do something so foolish. The feeling that she had had all of her life, the one that had gotten stronger in these last few weeks.

Well, not exactly these last few weeks. She had first noticed the feeling seven years ago, and it had gotten stronger gradually since then, but it was only in these past few weeks that it had been strong enough to apparently make her buy a ticket like that.

She took a sharp breath as a powerful sense of anticipation hit her, and just as she exhaled she heard a knock on the door. She exhaled slowly to get nerves under control before opening the door.

She didn't know the woman who stood before her, but there was a familiarity of sorts about her. She also seemed to be emanating wisdom, power and tranquillity, and for some reason Florentina felt immediately at ease.

"Florentina Grimaldi? I know we've never met, and I certainly know that what I'm going to say will make me sound like a crazy woman. But your life is in danger, and I'm here to take you to safety."

For reasons she herself did not understand, Florentina moved out of the way and let the woman walk into the room. She closed the door and looked at the woman, who seemed to notice she was being scrutinized and turned to face Florentina.

"What I'm going to tell you may sound crazy, as it should, but I swear to you that it is the absolute truth. And you have to trust me, because your life depends on it," the woman said and sat down on the edge of the bed.

Florentina took the small chair that stood behind the desk and sat face to face with the woman. "You are you?" It was the first thing that came up. "My name is Phoebe Halliwel. I'm…My sisters and I, we have these gifts…Inherited from a very special family tree. In a way, that's what I want to talk to you about."

Phoebe fidgeted a little, nervous about how to tell the young woman in front of her that she had become the embodiment of fire. Eventually she settled for starting with her own story, and then telling her about what had happened the past two days and what they had found out.

* * *

"I was in the same position as you seven years ago, so I do understand how you must feel," Phoebe said as she watched Florentina struggle with what she had just told her.

"And you say this…Source? You say he wants these powers for himself?" Phoebe nodded. She had discussed this with Leo and her sisters, and they had come to the conclusion that the Source couldn't possibly want to summon Spirit for himself. Spirit was, as it turned out, the Divine; and the Divine would never aid Evil. With just the powers of the four Elementani the Source could obliterate them all as if he were squashing bugs.

"He doesn't just want them, Florentina. He'll stop at nothing to get them. Your powers, and the powers of the other three Elementani. Look, I don't want to scare you any more than I already have but…."

Phoebe sighed and Florentina looked at her. "I can see flashes of the future, Florentina. That's how I found you. I saw him…doing this to you that you couldn't imagine. Just to get your powers. And you put up a good fight, but it wasn't enough."

Florentina's eyes widened. "That's why I need you to come to my house with me, where my sisters and my brother-in-law can protect you, so I can go looking for the other Elementani. That way at least we know you guys are safe until we find a way to defeat the Source," Phoebe said.

"You're welcome to try," a voice hissed, and Phoebe and Florentina both jumped. Before Phoebe could react, she was hit by a telekinetic wave that sent her crashing into the wall.

Florentina instinctively threw her hands before her, trying to protect herself, and was surprised when a powerful fireball shot towards the hooded figure that had just attacked Phoebe.

The hooded figure, who she figured was the Source, simply extended his hand and the fireball flew into some sort of invisible shield before it was extinguished. The Source summoned an energy ball in his other hand and threw it at Florentina, but powerful jolts of lightning fired by Phoebe hit it and the two attacks cancelled each other out.

"Meddlesome, aren't we? I have some time to play," the Source said and dematerialized, before rematerializing right in front of Phoebe holding an orb of black energy.

"Let's see how you like this," he screamed before hitting Phoebe on the chest with the hand with which he was holding the orb. Phoebe was thrown backwards, into the desk, and remained motionless.

The Source turned his attention to Florentina. "Your time has come, sister," he said before grabbing the amulet he had across his neck and extending it in Florentina's direction.

* * *

Piper looked up as Wyatt orbed into his playpen in her room, followed shortly by Paige walking in holding Chris. Leo, who was resting on the bed, smiled. He was still a bit fuzzy from the attack by the Council of High Priests, but it wasn't anything serious. Yeah, try telling Piper that!

Paige put Chris down in the playpen with Wyatt and was just about to say something, when an excruciating pain in her chest silenced her. And somehow, she was also aware of Piper experiencing the same on the edge of the bed.

"What's wrong?" Leo's question went unanswered for a few minutes before Piper managed to catch enough of her breath. "Phoebe," she wheezed out, and the look on her face told Leo that something terrible was wrong.

"Wyatt, danger!" As Wyatt listened to his father's command and erected his force field bubble around himself and Chris, Leo got up and was ready to orb to Phoebe when he felt a huge surge pf power in the room.

He looked at Piper and Paige, and to his surprise saw that they were both glowing. Then he understood: they were both so worried about their sister that they were summoning enough strength to conquer the ghost-pain and save her. Before he knew it, Paige started orbing out and Piper began to dematerialize. Quickly, he followed suit.

They arrived at the hotel room just in time to see the young woman Phoebe had described from her premonition dissolve into a big spiral of flames and being sucked into some amulet the Source was holding.

The Source quickly spun around and ignited a fireball to strike the helpless Phoebe with it, when the floor started shaking and tree leaves started falling from the ceiling. "Leave," Piper screamed, her eyes glowing red, and the Source immediately dematerialized.

**T.B.C.**

**Author's Note: I'm sorry for the huge delay in update, I usually don't like to keep my readers waiting for an upload for so long. But I had a huge case of writer's block! It was unbelievable…no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't come up with something I liked enough.**

**So I'm very happy that my regular bunny has finally returned to me, and Now I even have the actual time to sit and write since holiday starts this week.**

**I've already started on the next chapter, and I think it will be up around Sunday. Stay with me, because terrible things are about to happen. In the mean time: please review….(I know I don't deserve it, but still….)**


	7. Two to go

**Chapter Seven – Two to go**

Leo immediately sat on his knees next to Phoebe's unconscious form and held his hands above her. When they passed over her chest, he held them there and they started glowing.

Immediately, however, Leo was expelled backwards. Piper sped towards him and helped him up. "What happened?" Leo saw the expression of pure horror on his wife's face and he realized she was afraid of losing another sister.

He sighed and closed his eyes, but opened them immediately again when he realized Piper could misread his actions. She remained strangely calm however. "You can't heal her, can you?" He shook his head in surprise.

"Whatever the Source did to her, it can't be healed by white lighter magic. Paige could try, but I doubt she would succeed," Leo answered. Piper surprised both him and Paige by nodding in agreement.

"There was something strange about the Source, didn't you think?" She looked around and her eyes rested on Paige. "There was something his about his magic, something…odd. That fireball for instance."

"He did just take the powers of the Fire Elementani. It figures he would want to try them out as soon as possible," Paige said, convinced that that was the explanation for the oddity that she had felt as well.

"Guys…what about Phoebe?" Both sisters looked at Leo, and then Paige walked to Phoebe's unconscious form and held her hands over her head. At first Leo thought she would try and heal Phoebe, but she just kept her hands there.

"The spell was deadly, but I think the Source didn't have enough power when he cast it to kill her. She's just asleep now, and she's using her powers to fight the spell. But I think it's stronger than it was before. I think…if the Source gets all of the Elementani powers…"

Paige didn't finish the sentence, but they all understood what she meant: Phoebe would die if the Source gained the powers of all the Elementani. Piper closed her eyes and sighed, and Leo watched her closely.

"Well, there's no point in staying here any longer. Let's get her to the manor; at least she'll be safe there while we try to find the other Elementani," she said, surprising Leo with her out-of-character demeanour.

He exchanged looks with Paige before he picked Phoebe up and orbed to the manor.

* * *

Alanqe walked into the throne room, barely capable of containing his excitement. His Master had called for him, which was nothing special really, but it was the way he had been called.

His Master had contacted him by means of telepathy, and had said that he needed Alanqe…Needed! As far as Alanqe knew, he was the only servant ever to have been told that by a Source. Such a compliment it was, for someone so powerful to depend on him!

"Master, I have come to serve you," he said and waited for his Master's reply. The figure behind the curtain moved, and Alanqe knew what was coming next. He bowed his head and closed his eyes right before the curtain was flung aside.

"I have obtained the powers of the Fire Elementani," his Master said, and Alanqe felt his heart jump. "Congratulations, Master," he said quietly, hoping it was the right thing to say.

"Thank you, Alanqe. Though I must say, they were more difficult to obtain than I had thought. One of the Charmed Ones was there, trying to protect the Elementani. And when I obtained the powers, the others appeared." Alanqe hesitated, but decided to ask the question anyway. "Have you…have you destroyed them, Master?"

"No, Alanqe. They are more powerful than I suspected they would become. But the Seer now sleeps, and will die when I gather the powers of the other Elementani. But there's something else that bothers me as well. The eldest…when she got there, I felt some strange magic coming from here."

"Strange magic, Master?" Alanqe felt an incredible surge of power in the cave as his Master's anger flared up. "Tree leaves falling from the ceiling…the ground shaking…it isn't possible…it just…isn't."

"Do you think she is the Earth Elementani, Master? Do you think that is the strange magic you felt?" Even as he said it, Alanqe realized that if that was the case, that his Master would have a hard time gaining all the powers.

"I do not know, Alanqe. I must investigate this thoroughly. I shall be gone for some time, Alanqe, and I leave you in control. And I give you also a mission. Find me the Water Elementani."

"The Water Elementani, Master?" Alanqe started when his Master put a hand on his shoulder and forced him to stand. He kept his eyes closed, as to not anger his Master.

"Yes, Alanqe, the Water Elementani. I shall investigate the matter of the Earth Elementani, and I already know clearly where the Air Elementani is," his Master said, standing before him. Alanqe squeezed his eyes shut, to prevent his curiosity from getting the best of him. "You know, Master?"

"Yes, Alanqe. The Air Elementani is on his way to the Charmed manor, seeking refuge. Open your eyes, Alanqe." Slowly, Alanqe did as he was told and started when he finally saw his Master.

"Find the Water Elementani…Do not fail me, Alanqe," he said before dematerializing.

**T.B.C.**

**Thank you for all the people who reviewed, and please also review this chapter.**

**By the way, as a response to andy20, the plural of Elementani is…Elementani (like pokemon, really…)**


	8. Of Air and Earth

**Chapter Eight – Of Air and Earth**

Leo put Phoebe down on her bed and looked at Piper and Paige, who were both standing at the foot of the bed. Paige had a sad look on her face, but there was something else there too. Immediately, Leo knew that Paige thought she was onto something but wanted to research it further before discussing it with them.

Piper, on the other hand, had a look of absolute composure on her face and Leo became worried. The Piper he knew would have been heartbroken at the sight of her sister on that bed, waiting for the Source to gain more power so his spell would finally kill her.

"I'm going to research something at Magic School. I'll be right back, okay?"

Leo looked at Paige, his suspicions confirmed. Piper didn't react at first, but continued watching Phoebe with an eerily emotionless look on her face. Leo walked up to her and put a hand on her shoulder. It was then that she looked up.

"Yeah, you do that. Leo, go with her and see if you can anything on that Amulet the Source used to absorb that girl, will you?"

Leo nodded, and gave Piper one more worried look before orbing out with Paige. As soon as Piper was alone with Phoebe she walked to the side of the bed and set down.

"I promise you Phoebe, that I won't rest until I've found a way to free you from this spell. I won't let you die, I won't…I won't lose another sister, because I'll die if I do. If you die, Phoebe, I'll die too. And I'll make damn sure to take the Source with me," she said, tears slowly filling her eyes, until finally a sob escaped her lips.

It was the first of many, and she cried her heart out as old wounds were re-opened.

"You should not cry for her yet."

Piper sat upright the instant the voice sounded, and she immediately turned to the door. An African-American young man stood right in front of the door, which was still locked. The old lock, much to Phoebe's discomfort, made a great deal of noise, impossible for Piper not to hear, which meant that the door hadn't been unlocked.

Piper didn't waste anytime and immediately threw her hands forward, but the young man didn't freeze.

"Sorry, that won't work on me…," the young man said, but Piper didn't let him finish before she repeated the gesture again, this time aiming to use another power. The young man held out his hands and Piper's attack exploded against his shield of air, strangely producing a gust of air that was so powerful that it blew out the window.

Piper looked at the window and was just about to try and explode the young man again when he extended his right hand and fired a jolt of lightning at her, using it as a rope of sorts to immobilize her.

"Now, can I trust that you won't try to make me explode again?"

"Why won't you freeze?"

The young man laughed at Piper.

"You should know by now that good witches don't freeze, Piper, even if their powers are millions of years old. I am the Air Elementani," he said and Piper gasped.

"How did you find us?"

"Air has always been the Element of Knowledge and Wisdom, Piper. Even before I got my powers, before they returned to the Earth, the Wisdom that comes with them was awoken and I recalled the entire history of my line, back to the beginning. And the more time passed, the more I recalled and seemed to learn. It is as if I have never been anything else but the Air Elementani."

The young man released Piper from the hold he had her in and walked towards the bed where Phoebe lay.

"And then I saw her…she was calling out to me. But this I don't understand," he said softly before taking Phoebe's hand in his. Immediately his body tensed in a way Piper recognized, and as soon as he let go of Phoebe's hand he bolted from the bed.

"You had a premonition, didn't you? What did you see?"

The Air Elementani had a strange look on his face, one that Piper interpreted as fear.

"I saw a Spirit of immense power, a ghost from the next realm come to aid the enemy. And I also realize now how it is that Phoebe could call out to me. The premonition I just had wasn't mine, it was hers. I saw it, because she shared it with me."

"But how? She can only share premonitions with…"

"Exactly. She and I share the same power, the same Element. And if I'm not mistaken...," he said while walking slowly to Piper. He extended his hand, and she took it. He closed his eyes and sighed, and a gentle breeze played with Piper's hair before he opened his eyes again.

"That's it! You, as a mother, share a connection with the Earth Elementani. And I'm guessing your other sister has a similar bond with the Water Elementani. Of course, it makes perfect sense! Your powers started to grow as the Elders were being killed. It was the cosmos' way to maintain balance, and each of you do represent an Element. How, may I ask, did you guys find the Fire Elementani?"

"Phoebe got some sort of premonition of her…well, not really a premonition. She said it had felt funny, different from her other premonitions. We chalked it up to her new powers," Piper answered slowly, still digesting the information the young man had given her.

"This is great! Now we can find the other two Elementani more quickly!"

**T.B.C.**


End file.
